Singing Trees

Seems once again, the journey has taken a different route than expected, and after having traveled through land upon land, I found a place that spoke to me with singing trees. And have made this place of peace and quietude my home. Many of my friends have joined me on this journey: Cassandra and Sweet Pea, Ghason, Mandylynn, Tithehul, Galadriel and Celeborn, S'rena and Ivarruaia and some strange bent old man who fals asleep on teh ground as ye speak, Elestria, of course, and Dexler and Jusitne, and my grandson Alak...but...still no sign of Jacen...(taps foot and looks at the pile of boots she has been carrying around). We have each found out little space here. And hopefully, we can be happy and live out our stories as they are meant to be lived.

An End To An Age

Tis been a long while since I wrote in this journal of mine….been travelin', ye see, fleein' from devastations and such. The dragons died. The Ancient One, too weary to go on, and his mate Saia, because she couldna bear life without him. And the land howled and raged at their deaths, for it was their lives that gave it breath. And without the protection of the mighty beasts, the evilness began to spread across the land. Seems our small band of people just canna escape from the evils that pursue them. A horde of demons moved inter the Underdark of Arran, bringing with them pestilence to the land. And a personal pestilence to meslef and Jacen. Tis nae everyone can claim that they be shot down in eh midst of their marriage proposal. After all these years, what were started as a joke has turned into a reality. And I didna even have to pay twenty horses for him as that old tavern wench said I would~! His family no seemed to mind, seeing most of them be either previously married to elves or be elf kin themselves, so that were a mercy. Bein' what I am, I canna have children anyways…so tis nae like I be walking away from the People with any duty or obligation to reproduce meself. So, with Samhain looming, Jacen and I sneaked off to the forest, with Swith as witness, and had her tie the knot on the string. Now handfasted for life, in the traditional way. Jacen had to go back to the wars, bein so commanded by his unclew Kalvan. And I were left with the mess of getting folk out of the land afore the great storm hit. I could see well enough that the portents this time be true. The land dwindled and began to die around us. Trees withered and fell over in their places of rest and rocks began to crumble. Justine disappeared altogether with the disappearance of all the dragons. Wulf had put out to sea, so I knew she werena with him. El and Mandi I sent to Waterdeep to be with their children until a suitable home could be found. I assumed that be where Justine had fled to also. Swith, in her way, picked up her lute and left. No use for a bard to stay if there be no one to sing to. No coin or rum in that. Dexler packed up his donkey. The fae were warned to take flight and find some safe ahven. In the end, all that were left were meself… and the spirits of the dead that still roamed the land. On Samhain, I built the fire. Twerent hard for me to do since all the trees ahd died and parched in such a short time. I dragged the wood down to the beach, facing the westering sun, and lit it as dusk approached. Far out to sea I could see the storm, hanging on the horizon. I were grateful that at least I could do this one last service for the land. As the flames rose, beckoning to the darkness that were falling, I began the prayers for the dead, sending their spirits on to where they would enjoy rest for their eternal times. I stood by that fire until midnight, stoked it as high as I could, and mounted Moonbeam and rode away, ne'er looking back once. The fire would be consumed by the wave. And I didna want to be there to see that. Twas the end of an era for me. The end of Arran. A land I loved, a land where I had breathed my own life into its very core.

Today I traveled with Elestria, my adopted daughter, to Waterdeep, where her son...my grandson..Alak be fostering. Tis sad that we must keep him there, but Arran be too hostile for raising children, I I wouldna want the drow getting their hands on him. He be a sweet child, but much like his mother in many respects. Unfortuantely, he do have his father...Solun may he burn in the Abyss forever..etes. Ruby red. Unlike his motehr's beautiful amythest eyes. I look forward to more visits with him, when I can get away from my duties in Arran. Tis a good thing for a child to know his family, and I wish Alak to know the elven side of life, even though he be drow.The change has to start somewhere and it may as well be with my kin. El be makin sure that he do know both drow and the elvish tongue, and he be speaking Comon right plain now. That be thanks to Justine's mother. Didna have much time to stay, so only saw Justine's children in passing. They looked strong and healthy. The boy much like his father; the girl as pretty as her mother. Thank the goddess Justine's mother be such a saint and takes our children in! I couldna bear thinking about what would happen if they werena safely away.

Pesky Demon

Pesky thing he be, this demon. He wants summat, I can tell. Seems he finds me no matter where I be in the realm....last eve I were just sittin on a log playin my lute and poof..there he be in his cloud of brimstone and sulphur, haggin and natterin at me. Elestria came down from the Hall and we ahd a lively discussion on why she doesna be a normal drow. ffftttttt...she told him for sure. And then she put me into a fit of laughter. Her mind works in such strange ways! She asked me what would bother a demon and I told her love and caring and serenity and peace. So she grimaced and ran towards him and said "Take that! you demon!" and she hugged him! If ye could hae seen the expression on that ones face! He flew off right quick after that whilst I purified her from his taint. She be a right plucky one, my daughter. I be so proud of her!

On Demonic Manifestations..or summat like that

This demon...Ivarru he says his name be....he keeps poppin up everywhere...sardonic and glib he be and a tad more scathin than some...Swith took exception and wrote a song about him for the bard circle..good thing he didna show up until later! Then she'd have more than just Saia the Silver after her! I needs to know how he found his way through the rift...he doesna answer to anyone..so he canna have been called forth. And I dunna want him to find out I have that soul stone...twould cause even more trouble. Caught Livvy and Oak together again this morn...took them both to task this time...she hasna a clue...naive human that she be. I tried explainin to her the elven perspective on things and made her sad..but do she be sad enough to do summat constructive about it or like other humans, just sit back and wallow in it? At any rate...we need to keep ehr occupied until the Solstice. Rowan says the land needs teh sacrifice and if Rowan says so who be I to argue? If the human bes nae strong enough to survive then twil be a paltry effort. I hope rowan has chosen wisely. Last eve a wanderin minstrel named Paddy came through..one I have met in other realms afore..twas good to see and hear from him but he surely were dressed in the oddest arrangement of clothes I have ever seen...Swith says were his courtly minstrel clothes..shakes head..humans...twere garish to my eyes. (smirks) I told the dragons about the demon bathin in their lava pool. They werena pleased...(laughs) That will fix him...

What a mess....I caught that Olivia with the wild elf again..and as I feared, her influence be changin him and not to his betterment to my mind. He didna even hear as I approached them there in the fae cove! When an elf ignores his own inherent abilities over a human then that be far too much human! Jacen had to step between the wild elf Oak and that arse faced dog of a tavernkeep, Wulf, or there would hae been blood on the tavern floor. ANd twouldnt be the elf's, I can tell ye that! So now Jacen wants me to appeal to the wild elves..to settle the peace. (sighs) I will speak to Oak..aye...but...I dunna see that it will do much good. I think the answer lies in the human, Olivia. She started this. She must stop it.
In the middle of all this that thorny mage Delrethious be askin me for a soul stone. (snorts) Like I would turn oer such a thing to him who be nae bolstered in any faith that may prevent the use of it for its original purpose. He says he can use ti with essences like blood and spit and such..but I have never heard of such a thing..and to bind any essence into an evilness like that be almost as abd as binding their soul! Anyways..it be for Lore. If I can find his wanderin soul that were cleaved from him when he be made into a undead, then mayhaps I can restore it to him..make him whole again or at the least, put him from his misery and send him to a real eternal rest. And that conninvin female Emily...she were goin to kill me! Because I wouldna let her marry Lore! I knew there were more to her than meets the eye. Turns out she be the daughter of some necromancer bent on findin Lore's wealth. Loew be goin to Venice, his home, to try to lure her away. (shakes head worriedly) I canna help him there. I will worry the whole time he be away. And I need to know...why do there be a demon fgloatin about? A pretty one at that..nae yer average res scaled monstrosity but this one be darkly beautiful. Them mages must be playin about with summat and one called him into this world. I will go shake a finger in their arcane faces if they be doin such as that!

Where be me willow bark tea? Tis bad enough I have fae on the rampage now that fool human female, Olivia have started a war between the humans and wild elves. She said "But I loves him!" ffftttt....She canna even speak his language! She be young and foolish and doesna have whit one about what love be or not be. Love a wild elf....that will get her killed for sure. Their clan leader will no put up with summat like that, for sure. Rowan be right protective of her brother, Oak, and I can tell ye now, no human female be goin to snare him away from the wood. Livvy got herself knocked oer the head oer this whole business. And wouldna tell me how or why. So I sent that oaf, Wulf, the tavern-keep, out to look for whoever doid such a thing to her, thinkin mayhaps some dock lout were waylayin females. Her little indiscretion of not mentionin to me that it be Rowan who did her head in caused a load of trouble. Seems Oak didna know what his sister were up to and were lurkin about hopin for a glimpse of Livvy. Wulf saw him and assumed the worse, I guess and went after him. Oak, of course, bein a wild elf, had the upper hand and beat him to the ground, takin some savage blows to hisself in the meantime. I came upon Oak huffin and puffin oer Wulf's body, healed them both and once again took Livvy to task for startin such a mess. Then along comes that Delrethious..the half elf half human mage who doesna comprehend whit one about elviness. He and Justine ran up. Justine were such a grand help to me curin folks that needed it and tendin to Livvy's head. (That fool Wulf gave her hard spirits with a head injury...twas a god thing she didna pass out into oblivion). Delrethious couldna see why there be such a problem and muttered summat about cultuures. He deosna even know his own so I dunna listen to anythin he has to say about anyone elses. Seems he sees naught wrong with the humans cuttin down live trees in the wild elf forest without a by yer leave or any sort of reparation. What be this world comin to? Fae that hurts animals that are defenseless and now elves that dunna know the importance of a living tree?!?!?!!? At any rate, I had Justine cart Wulf's arse back to the tavern so Oak wouldna kill him on the spot. Then I spoke with Oak a bit and then I went to find that Olivia and have a word or four or five with her. I be here to tell ye, I tyold her she'd ebst come up with some way to fix all this or there will be war. Rowan wilna tolerate some human harmin her brother. Wulf be a marked man. Not that a give a fig what happens to him. He be a worthless walleyed lout. Oh...and then that other mage, the one with the same name as the evil dragon, Zara, showed up. I ahd had about my fill of humans for the day but were polite to her. Asides..I needs some magic done and I canna go to Delrethious about it meself. I willna be beholdin to that one. SO mayhaps she be the answer. We will see. believe what happened this rampage but now